Merkava Mk VIa1 (yes, the Merkava 6)

[Ramblefire]

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Merkava Heavy Tank Mk VIa1

Mass: 75 tons
Movement Type: Tracked
Power Plant: 300 ICE
Cruising Speed: 43.2 kph
Maximum Speed: 64.8 kph
Armor: Standard
Armament:
     1 Machine Gun
     1 AC/5
     1 SRM 4
     1 LRM 10
Manufacturer: Unknown
     Primary Factory: Unknown
Communication System: Unknown
Targeting & Tracking System: Unknown
Introduction Year: 2735
Tech Rating/Availability: E/X-C-D-D
Cost: 1,569,750 C-bills

Type: Merkava Heavy Tank
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Introductory)
Movement Type: Tracked
Tonnage: 75
Battle Value: 558

Equipment                                          Mass
Internal Structure                                  7.5
Engine                        300 ICE                38
Cruising MP: 4
Flank MP: 6
Heat Sinks:                   0                       0
Control Equipment:                                  4.0
Power Amplifier:                                    0.0
Turret:                                             2.0
Armor Factor                  72                    4.5

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Front                   8         15   
     R/L Side               8/8      15/15   
     Rear                    8         12   
     Turret                  8         15   


Weapons
and Ammo                      Location    Tonnage   
SRM 4                          Turret       2.0     
Machine Gun                    Turret       0.5     
AC/5                           Turret       8.0     
LRM 10                         Turret       5.0     
LRM 10 Ammo (12)                Body        1.0     
AC/5 Ammo (20)                  Body        1.0     
SRM 4 Ammo (25)                 Body        1.0     
Half Machine Gun Ammo (100)     Body        0.5     

The Merkava Mk VIa1 is a "modernized" variant of the Merkava Mk VI, an ancient version of an old hegemony design which was obsolete even by Reunification War standards. There is little to praise about the design itself, with an anemic weapon load, and an armor shell which is barely fit to protect against bugmechs, it is fairly useless in any role other than riot control and perhaps as a trainer to filter for AFFS Manticore crews.

However, the design has one redeeming feature. After over 200 years without production and without exercising their IP rights, Leopard Armor's Merkava design had moved to the Public domain. With such a cheap, simple, and awful design, which might raise eyebrows but not hackles even in huge quantities, the Merkava Mk VIa1 does one thing better than any more modern design does, quietly produces institutional experience with the production of heavy tanks and spreads that experience and machinery out across the entire length and breadth of the Federated Suns.

This would in theory allow for production of tanks to start to ramp up really really quickly if and when the Draconis Combine decided to get ideas. This worked out on paper much better than it did in reality, but the concept itself seemed to have merit at the time.

[DevianID]

Peak 'This is a tank for mechs to kill' energy.

I hate it, which is good and why I like it!  The Fusion engine Merkava 8 has over double the armor, but needs a fusion engine to do it.  If you dont have a fusion engine, or want that Merkava 8 300 fusion engine to go into a mech, well this version of the Merkava lets you do something with the shell you are left with after harvesting the 300 fusion to get those Marauders and Orions back in the fight.

At less then 600 BV, its a great tank for the light lance to fight as the big bad guy in a narrative game, surrounded with lighter tanks like vedettes and scorpions and infantry.

[Ramblefire]

Peak 'This is a tank for mechs to kill' energy.

I hate it, which is good and why I like it!  The Fusion engine Merkava 8 has over double the armor, but needs a fusion engine to do it.  If you dont have a fusion engine, or want that Merkava 8 300 fusion engine to go into a mech, well this version of the Merkava lets you do something with the shell you are left with after harvesting the 300 fusion to get those Marauders and Orions back in the fight.

At less then 600 BV, its a great tank for the light lance to fight as the big bad guy in a narrative game, surrounded with lighter tanks like vedettes and scorpions and infantry.

It's a decent tank if you use it like a scorpion, but otherwise it's 25 tons of fight in 75 tons of box.

The watsonian explanation for the machine is what I gave.

It's doyalist explanation for the design is that I needed a tank that was shit but not too overwhelmingly shit. For a planetary duke who showed off his militia's lovely armored militia regiment and got them pulled to fight kuritans where they promptly died. If you've seen Zach Burnfire's video about his cabinets.

"These are my tank militia, my pride and joy."
"These are some nice tanks you got here friend, I'm gonna need em."
"I beg your pardon?"
"I'm gonna need these here tanks to fight Kuritans."
"But I need them here to protect against pirates."
"Sorry friend but I'm gonna have to overrule you on that."

The tanks are simple enough to build that they can just be built on site, and they're shitty enough that any commander looking to federalize a tank unit will go elsewhere. And they've got a role that most commanders can understand once they adjust their thinking, namely a scorpion that needs a heavy vehicle bay to take offworld.

[Sabelkatten]

It's not a terrible vehicle if you optimize it (as much as you can "optimize" an ICE tank with an AC/5...):

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Less-kava

Mass: 50 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Motive Type: Tracked
Rules Level: Introductory
Era: Age of War/Star League
Tech Rating/Era Availability: D/C-C-D-A
Production Year: 2750
Cost: 778,750 C-Bills
Battle Value: 580

Power Plant:  200 I.C.E.
Cruise Speed: 43.2 km/h
Flanking Speed: 64.8 km/h
Armor:  Standard Armor
Armament:
    1  Autocannon/5
    2  LRM-5s
    2  SRM-2s
    1  Machine Gun
Manufacturer:
    Primary Factory:
Communications System:
Targeting and Tracking System:

================================================================================
Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard                      25 points                5.00
Engine:             I.C.E. Engine                200                      17.00
    Cruise MP:  4
    Flank MP:   6
Heat Sinks:         Single Heat Sink             0                         0.00
Control Equipment:                                                         2.50
Lift Equipment:                                                            0.00
Turret:                                                                    1.50
Armor:              Standard Armor               AV -  96                  6.00

                                                      Armor     
                                                      Factor     
                                               Front     24       
                                          Left/Right   20/20       
                                              Turret     16       
                                                Rear     16       

================================================================================
Equipment                                 Location    Heat     Spaces     Mass 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Autocannon/5                                 T         1         1         8.00
2 LRM-5s                                     T         4         2         4.00
2 SRM-2s                                     T         4         2         2.00
Machine Gun                                  T         0         1         0.50
@AC/5 (20)                                   BD        -         0         1.00
@MG (1/2) (100)                              BD        -         0         0.50
@LRM-5 (24)                                  BD        -         0         1.00
@SRM-2 (50)                                  BD        -         0         1.00

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:      3    Points: 6
4t         2       2       2       0      2     0   Structure:  3
Special Abilities: EE, TUR(2/2/2), IF 1
Of course you're still probably better off with a pair of Scorpion tanks... 

[Ramblefire]

It's not a terrible vehicle if you optimize it (as much as you can "optimize" an ICE tank with an AC/5...):

Of course you're still probably better off with a pair of Scorpion tanks... 

Yeah, I'mma gonna need thothe tankth high-thpeed, needth em to figth Kuritanth.

Here's one with a thumper for Self Propelled Gun duties

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Merkava Heavy Tank Mk VIa1T

Mass: 75 tons
Movement Type: Tracked
Power Plant: 300 ICE
Cruising Speed: 43.2 kph
Maximum Speed: 64.8 kph
Armor: Standard
Armament:
     1 Machine Gun
     1 Thumper
Manufacturer: Unknown
     Primary Factory: Unknown
Communication System: Unknown
Targeting & Tracking System: Unknown
Introduction Year: 3000
Tech Rating/Availability: E/X-C-C-C
Cost: 1,315,125 C-bills

Type: Merkava Heavy Tank
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Advanced)
Movement Type: Tracked
Tonnage: 75
Battle Value: 372

Equipment                                          Mass
Internal Structure                                  7.5
Engine                        300 ICE                38
Cruising MP: 4
Flank MP: 6
Heat Sinks:                   0                       0
Control Equipment:                                  4.0
Power Amplifier:                                    0.0
Turret:                                             2.0
Armor Factor                  72                    4.5

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Front                   8         15   
     R/L Side               8/8      15/15   
     Rear                    8         12   
     Turret                  8         15   


Weapons
and Ammo                      Location    Tonnage   
Thumper                        Turret       15.0   
Machine Gun                    Turret       0.5     
Thumper Ammo (60)               Body        3.0     
Half Machine Gun Ammo (100)     Body        0.5     

And one for Air Defense Artillery duty

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Merkava Heavy Tank Mk VIa1AA

Mass: 75 tons
Movement Type: Tracked
Power Plant: 300 ICE
Cruising Speed: 43.2 kph
Maximum Speed: 64.8 kph
Armor: Standard
Armament:
     3 AC/2
Manufacturer: Unknown
     Primary Factory: Unknown
Communication System: Unknown
Targeting & Tracking System: Unknown
Introduction Year: 3000
Tech Rating/Availability: E/X-F-F-E
Cost: 1,350,125 C-bills

Type: Merkava Heavy Tank
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Advanced)
Movement Type: Tracked
Tonnage: 75
Battle Value: 431

Equipment                                          Mass
Internal Structure                                  7.5
Engine                        300 ICE                38
Cruising MP: 4
Flank MP: 6
Heat Sinks:                   0                       0
Control Equipment:                                  4.0
Power Amplifier:                                    0.0
Turret:                                             2.0
Armor Factor                  72                    4.5

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Front                   8         15   
     R/L Side               8/8      15/15   
     Rear                    8         12   
     Turret                  8         15   


Weapons
and Ammo              Location    Tonnage   
3 AC/2                 Turret       18.0   
Flak AC/2 Ammo (45)     Body        1.0     



[DevianID]

I like the idea of these also as a superb 'graft' tank.  You order a lance of Merkavas, but they show up with grossly underperforming engines compared to the fusion spec, with most of the armor missing.  Like you said, its the greatest tank for a planetary Duke to show off on parade.  Its fast for 75 tons, heavy and imposing... just dont look under the hood or put it into heavy enemy fire where the armor reveals itself to be less then half up to specs.  Yet, its still better in a fight then a vedette or scorpion despite all the flaws.

[Ramblefire]

I like the idea of these also as a superb 'graft' tank.  You order a lance of Merkavas, but they show up with grossly underperforming engines compared to the fusion spec, with most of the armor missing.  Like you said, its the greatest tank for a planetary Duke to show off on parade.  Its fast for 75 tons, heavy and imposing... just dont look under the hood or put it into heavy enemy fire where the armor reveals itself to be less then half up to specs.  Yet, its still better in a fight then a vedette or scorpion despite all the flaws.

It's overly heavy, overly expensive, overly fragile, packs may be as much fight as 2 scorpions into 3 times the packaging. Transportation is finicky and sustainment is a nightmare. Maybe if it were rolling around on the same planet as the factory it rolled out of, then it would be viable but the AFFS quartermaster corps would throw a coup detat before they would concede to putting it into service.

Planetary duke: Everything you just said. That's exactly what I want. Inject it directly into my veins.

A fire support vehicle. 2 LRM-10s for long range supporting fire, 2 srm4s for close in. You also have two seperate ammo bins so you can use one of them to store inferno ammo. And another machine gun for anti-infantry duty.

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Merkava Heavy Tank Mk VIa1FS

Mass: 75 tons
Movement Type: Tracked
Power Plant: 300 ICE
Cruising Speed: 43.2 kph
Maximum Speed: 64.8 kph
Armor: Standard
Armament:
     2 Machine Gun
     2 SRM 4
     2 LRM 10
Manufacturer: Unknown
     Primary Factory: Unknown
Communication System: Unknown
Targeting & Tracking System: Unknown
Introduction Year: 3000
Tech Rating/Availability: E/X-C-C-C
Cost: 1,727,250 C-bills

Type: Merkava Heavy Tank
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Introductory)
Movement Type: Tracked
Tonnage: 75
Battle Value: 638

Equipment                                          Mass
Internal Structure                                  7.5
Engine                        300 ICE                38
Cruising MP: 4
Flank MP: 6
Heat Sinks:                   0                       0
Control Equipment:                                  4.0
Power Amplifier:                                    0.0
Turret:                                             1.5
Armor Factor                  72                    4.5

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Front                   8         15   
     R/L Side               8/8      15/15   
     Rear                    8         12   
     Turret                  8         15   


Weapons
and Ammo                      Location    Tonnage   
2 Machine Gun                  Turret       1.0     
2 SRM 4                        Turret       4.0     
2 LRM 10                       Turret       10.0   
LRM 10 Ammo (24)                Body        2.0     
SRM 4 Ammo (50)                 Body        2.0     
Half Machine Gun Ammo (100)     Body        0.5     

Combined Engineering + Armored Recovery Vehicle, and the fluid gun can spray water or liquid nitrogen. That means it can triple duty as a firefighter.

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Merkava Heavy Tank Mk VIa1Eng

Mass: 75 tons
Movement Type: Tracked
Power Plant: 300 ICE
Cruising Speed: 43.2 kph
Maximum Speed: 64.8 kph
Armor: Standard
Armament:
     1 Fluid Gun
Manufacturer: Unknown
     Primary Factory: Unknown
Communication System: Unknown
Targeting & Tracking System: Unknown
Introduction Year: 3000
Tech Rating/Availability: E/X-C-C-C
Cost: 1,356,250 C-bills

Type: Merkava Heavy Tank
Technology Base: Inner Sphere (Standard)
Movement Type: Tracked
Tonnage: 75
Battle Value: 333

Equipment                                          Mass
Internal Structure                                  7.5
Engine                        300 ICE                38
Cruising MP: 4
Flank MP: 6
Heat Sinks:                   0                       0
Control Equipment:                                  4.0
Power Amplifier:                                    0.0
Turret:                                             1.0
Armor Factor                  72                    4.5

                          Internal   Armor   
                          Structure  Value   
     Front                   8         15   
     R/L Side               8/8      15/15   
     Rear                    8         12   
     Turret                  8         15   


Weapons
and Ammo                       Location    Tonnage   
2 Lift Hoist/Arresting Hoist     Rear        6.0     
Bulldozer                       Front        2.0     
Fluid Gun                       Turret       2.0     
Backhoe                         Turret       5.0     
Fluid Gun Ammo (100)             Body        5.0